Does Social Media Hurt Mental Health?

Social media is playing a seemingly ever-growing role in our lives. But how does it affect our mental health? That's not such an easy answer, because it can be positive or negative, or a little bit of both, depending on how we approach it.

The Bad

We naturally tend to compare ourselves to others, and social media can take this to a new extreme. Those pictures with the great filters that make it look like everyone is gorgeous, has their sh•t together, and is having the time of their lives. Real people's lives aren't perfect, but they can sure put on a good act with social media. If you weren't feeling like crap already, seeing how "happy" everyone else is will certainly be enough to knock you down.

Then there are the comparisons around numbers. Why don't you have as many followers as these other people? Why does the stuff you post get fewer likes? The numbers game can be a killer. It's almost impossible to avoid, but it helps to regularly remind yourself what your purpose. What I've also discovered as I've gotten more followers on certain platforms is that once you reach a certain number, the whole thing takes on a life of its own. As far as I can tell, platforms start suggesting you to more users as someone to follow, so your user profile is in people's faces more often. I've also noticed that with higher numbers I get more followers that only seem to be looking for a follow-back. Seeing how these things have unfolded has really reinforced that numbers really don't mean all that much.

Mental illness can bring about major changes in the way we live our lives, changes that we may not be so keen to have to explain to others. For me, the downward trajectory of my career is something I have no desire to discuss with people that I knew years ago. Yet social media platforms, Facebook in particular it seems, have an annoying habit of dredging up all these people you used to know and suggesting them for you to connect with now. I don't want to be popping up as a connection suggestion for these people any more than I want to see them, and as I result I stay clear of Facebook and LinkedIn.

Mental illness can cause you to lose that filter that normally stops us from saying stupid things. Whether it's getting upset at someone and lashing out with a torrent of abuse online, or whether it's saying something inappropriate because of mania or psychosis, things can get spewed out that can't be taken back and are hard to explain afterwards.

When illness makes concentration difficult, social media can be challenging. With my depression I tend to be easily overwhelmed by multiple pieces of information all at once, and that's exactly what social media is. It's important to come up with strategies to stay anchored and prevent getting swept away in the great internet sea.

The Good

Mental illness can be profoundly isolating. Connecting in-person can become very difficult, so connecting online may be the primary form of human interaction some people have (this is certainly the case for me). Many people won't understand what you're going through, but chances are in the online mental illness community you will find people who truly get it. I've certainly found a sense of relief at being able to connect with people who are going through the same kinds of experiences.

The effects of stigma can be very damaging, and being exposed to all of the mental health advocacy that happens online can make it easier to keep moving forward. It gives an opportunity to be part of a community that has a united purpose: to take on stigma.

Social media can be a great opportunity to learn. Specifically in terms of mental health, you can learn about the kind of symptoms other people are experiencing with various different illnesses, different treatments that are working for people, and resources that are available.

Finding Balance

While there is always a place for person-to-person connection, when used wisely social media can be a great source of support. I think that what's important is to regularly reconnect with your own sense of purpose in being online, because it's so easy to get sidetracked.

I had been social media-free for several years, and only got back on a year and a half ago when I started blogging. I'm on Twitter and Pinterest now, and I use them exclusively for mental health purposes. I don't use social media to connect with people I know in "real life", and I prefer it that way. I'm very selective about who I follow on Twitter, so my feed is full of people living with mental illness or other chronic illness and organizations that support us. While I do have some hiccups occasionally, overall it's been a really positive experience.

It's worth keeping in mind that social media is a tool; it's not inherently good or bad. What it does for us depends on how we use it, and we have the power to take steps to make it a more positive influence on our mental health.